Kurt Russell

(about playing 11-year-old Dakota Fanning's father in the 2005 film "Dreamer") Kurt Russell: Dakota is by far one of the best actors I've ever had the opportunity to work with. I just found it so fascinating to work with her. She shows you her feelings. She doesn't hide them. I've worked with them all. I've worked with Meryl Streep! I guarantee you that Dakota is probably the best actor I'll work with in my entire career.

Kurt: (on his first kiss) I was in third grade, and I noticed this really hot chick hanging out under the bridge with her friend. She was probably 13, and there was this vibe about her. She says, 'Hey, come here.' I think I'm going to get my first kiss. She lifts my shirt, then all of a sudden reaches into her bee hive, pulls out a penknife, and drags it about six inches across my stomach. It starts to bleed, and they haul ass. I was, like, 'What?'

(on his Dark Blue character, Eldon Perry) Kurt: For that time, this character has his own personal outlook. The way he looks at it, he has a real simple question to ask. That question is, "Who is gonna do this job? You?" How are we going to answer that question? That's what makes him up. We all look at the world through our own eyes. I don't know about you, but I am always surprised at what other people see. We have an imagination of what people see. Many times, it's not correct.

(when asked about injuring Poseidon co-star, Josh Lucas) Kurt: Yeah, I did. It was one of those things when we were under water. I didn't even know I'd hit him. We came up and Josh was bleeding really profusely. I mean he was really bleeding. I was like "what happened to you?" "I think you hit me with the flashlight". I was like, "Probably. I don't know."

(on whether he was spoiled as a kid) Kurt: I think all kids are spoiled to a certain degree. I was spoiled. We have big Christmas celebrations at our home every year. We look like capitalist pigs. Our Christmas parties are so big it's a joke. We're gluttons. But all through the year, it's pretty lean stuff and not a lot of gifts.

(on becoming a grandfather at 52) Kurt: When I was young, I always thought I would have kids young. I kind of hoped that I would have kids at 21 or 22-years old. I had my first child when I was 29. Having a grandchild now at 52 – I feel late. But I feel lucky. I'm in good health. Goldie and I feel good.

(on his Escape From New York character, Snake) Kurt: Well, I suppose there's a dark side to all of us. I don't know how much "Snake" there is in me, but I do know he's the only character I ever wanted to return to and explore again.

Kurt: My first year of pro ball I played in the Northwest league and made the all-star team, and the next year I played I led the team in hitting and was third or fifth in the league.

Kurt: My Dad was a ball player and an actor, and I was a ball player and an actor. I saw his world, and I liked that he enjoyed it.

Kurt: Movies I've done which are some of my favorites, sometimes people won't talk about them at all.

Kurt: It's interesting to examine someone's life who is taking a step into hell and is either going to continue to descend or somehow try to walk out of it.

Kurt: If you want to laugh, see Slap Shot. If you want to be inspired, see our movie, Miracle.

Kurt: If they're willing to pay you what you think you're worth for it, that's why an actor goes to work. A lot of times they want to pay you a lot for a picture you don't want to do.

Kurt: If it hadn't been for the videocassette, I may not have had a career at all.

Kurt: If I see one side of somebody, I want to see the other side.

Kurt: I've never looked at my career in terms of, What haven't I done that I want to do? I just generally find a story that I think is a good one and go to work.

Kurt: I wasn't really serious about acting-I was serious about baseball.

Kurt: I was brought up by two people who just said, Whatever it is you're interested in, go do it. There is no winning or losing. You find out when you do it what the experience is.

Kurt: I usually hang out on the set. I get to know everybody. I have a nice time with the other actors.

Kurt: I used to throw batting practice a lot, and with some injuries on the team, I was playing all the time, which I hadn't been earlier.

Kurt: I understand a lot of people don't care for sports that much, but it shows just how hard somebody is going after something.

Kurt: I started playing ball when I was a kid. My dad was a pro ball player and he passed on his knowledge to me.

Kurt: I seem to have a knack for picking movies that go on to be cult favorites.

Kurt: I played professional level sports. When you're playing for money, it's a whole other level.

Kurt: I no longer look at my life and times in the motion picture industry as my career. I just look at it now as something I like and want to do.

Kurt: I know I come off differently than I think of myself. I'm always surprised by what people say about me.

Kurt: I just sit around while they change their minds. It's a very difficult business, and marketing movies is not part of my world.

Kurt: I got a kick out of the stands when they would heckle me. I would take the energy from that.

Kurt: I don't really look for specific types of projects any more. I'm not taking care of a career anymore. I'm just having fun acting.

Kurt: I do get cynical, but what can you do? It doesn't make any difference.

Kurt: I discovered that Captain Ron and Overboard are the two tapes everybody has to have on their boat!

Kurt: I can evaluate a player in a very short period of time because I'm very close to that game, very educated in that game and played the game for a long, long time. I wasn't just a guy with talent. I learned a lot about the game.

Kurt: I always look forward to working with Goldie because she's a great person to work with.

Kurt: Human beings, from their own point of view, are very different than what people see.

Kurt: How many music critics do you know that know anything about music? Probably not very many, but they have their personal opinions.

Kurt: Go to work every day and remember the reason you like this is because you enjoy the challenge of it, and you want to do well.

Kurt: For guys playing sports at a high level, for money, I can't put my finger on it, but in a man's world of sport, there is something visceral to beating another man.

Kurt: Everyone in baseball knew me from baseball. They didn't understand what I was doing with the acting thing.

Kurt: Even if I was just playing golf by myself and having a really good round, or if I could break my personal best, that moment would become just as meaningful to me as anything else.

Kurt: Acting was something that just came along. But I made good money, so it wasn't something I was just going to put aside and pretend it didn't exist.